Dug-up roads create chaos for commuters in city

Time of India

5 days ago

Patna: The ongoing road repairs and excavation work for various development and pipeline projects in several parts of the city have turned into a daily ordeal for commuters. Incomplete work has left behind open trenches and gravel patches, creating hazardous conditions.
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Intermittent rainfall has further exacerbated the situation, transforming these stretches into waterlogged, muddy pools.
Pedestrians are forced to wade through flooded walkways while motorists navigate slushy roads at the risk of accidents. Despite repeated complaints from residents, contractors have failed to meet project deadlines.
Numerous areas, including Ashok Rajpath, Ashiana-Digha Road, Boring Road, Jamal Road, S P Verma Road, Lohanipur, Polson Road, S K Puri, Nageshwar Colony, Rajendra Nagar, Rajeev Nagar and Bazaar Samiti, remain riddled with potholes, trenches and incomplete repairs.
Residents have expressed frustration over the inadequate repairs and the dangerous debris left scattered, which they say poses a serious threat to public safety.
The road construction department and other govt agencies had instructed engineers to complete work and ensure motorable roads by June 5. However, even after the deadline passed, many roads remain in a state of disrepair.
Kaushal Kumar, a resident of Mahavir Colony, described the stretch near his home as treacherous.
"The situation became miserable even with light drizzle. The potholes and trenches were completely submerged, making it difficult to identify danger spots. It is especially risky for commuters unfamiliar with the area," he said.
Anshu Sinha said part of a drain along the road in Rajeev Nagar caved in on Saturday night. "The road was once in good condition, but since work began under the Namami Gange project, it has deteriorated.
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During rain, the drain overflows. If precautions are not taken, this drain and road could become fatal for locals," he said.
Ashok Kumar, a resident of Rukunpura, said GAIL had dug a pit in front of his house in Navnit Colony to connect nearby homes to the gas network. "Because of this, my drainage pipeline was damaged, leading to waterlogging in the pit," he said.
However, Patna mayor Sita Sahu clarified that most roads had been dug up by agencies working under BUIDCO as part of the Namami Gange project and other schemes.
"The Patna Municipal Corporation issued a no-objection certificate along with a deadline, but the agencies failed to complete the projects on time," she said.
BUIDCO officials claimed that once the work was completed, the roads were handed over to the road construction department for repair. "We sent the list of all damaged roads in three to four phases. For incomplete projects, agencies are obligated to finish the work, they cannot abandon it," an official said.
Animesh Kumar Parashar, commissioner of Patna Municipal Corporation and managing director of BUIDCO, said a list of 42 damaged roads had been handed over to the road construction department. "The agencies have been instructed to ensure the roads are made motorable," he added.
Road construction department minister Nitin Nabin said the department had repaired most of the roads under its purview. "However, some roads fall under the jurisdiction of PMC and other government bodies," he added.